The present invention relates to the field of packaging sutures for surgical use.
A variety of packaging methods for suture materials have been devised to address such problems as tangling of threads, elimination of dust and particulates, accessibility of needles, and ease of use. Most packaging materials are made out of a stiff paperboard which can be cleaned and sterilized, and are folded in various ways to enhance product delivery.
Solutions to tangling problems have included winding the suture in loops or figure eights, interleaving looped suture with cards, and winding the suture tightly around pins that fit through holes in the paperboard during packaging. Needle accessibility is often achieved by placing the needles in a designated portion of the package, sometimes in a foam block, and tearing off that portion to expose the needles.